SOUTHPORT 2 BARROW 4
In a game heralded as the most important of the season
in their battle against relegation, the performance of the
Southport players reached a new nadir when they were comprehensively
beaten in front of 889 spectators on Tuesday night by one
of the few teams left below them in the table. Without the
services of the suspended Kevin Lee, Liam Watson chose to
play two wingers at full back, Matty McGinn, hastily recalled
from Skelmersdale, and Paul Barrett. Chris Lever spent the
evening on the bench.
Barrow, after a dismal start to the season, had improved
dramatically in recent games by signing two experienced
players on loan and it took them only 17 minutes to take
the lead when Tony McMillan failed to hold a shot from Richie
Baker. When Rob Marsh-Evans headed in Karl Ledsham's 57th
minute free kick, a revival looked to be on the cards but
this was swiftly snuffed out when Andy Ferrell was left
completely unmarked in the area to regain the lead for The
Bluebirds.
Man of the match, Louis Almond, added a third seven minutes
from time when McMillan let his shot trickle through his
hands. Shaun Whalley reduced the deficit when he headed
in McGinn's free kick and once again hopes rose for the
home side but they were quickly dashed once again when Barrett
brought down Almond in the box and Barrow's loan star converted
the spot kick himself to assure a 4-2 victory.
RUSHDEN & DIAMONDS 2 SOUTHPORT 2
After the horror of Tuesday night's defeat, Southport made
amends with a spirited display of attacking football at
Nene Park on Saturday, holding Rushden & Diamonds to a 2-2
draw in a match that Liam Watson described as 'the tem;s
most positive performance for a good while'.
Matt Jackson opened the scoring for the hosts when McMillan
could only push out a 28th minute shot by Gary Mills but
The Sandgrounders should have had a penalty when Steve Daly
was upended in the box by the keeper only for the referee
gave a goal kick. However, he made amends by awarding one
for a less blatant offence, when Mills fouled Tony Gray,
giving McGinn the opportunity to level the scores, which
he did with aplomb. In the 77th minute, a long punt by McMillan
was flicked on by Gray and Shaun Whalley lifted it over
Joe Day to put The Port ahead. It didn't last long. Sixty
seconds after Whalley had missed an easy chance in the 76th
minute, Max Porter's shot took a couple of unlucky (for
Southport) deflections and the scores were level again.
It could have been worse.
In the dying moments, Justin Miller hit the crossbar and
John Paul Kissock headed off the line to deny their opponents
a last minute victort they did not deserve. Unfortunately,
creditable though the draw was, relegation rivals Hayes,
Barrow, Cambridge and Altrincham all won and Southport sank
to 20th in the table, out of the relegation zone only on
goal difference from Forest Green. Next Saturday, The Yellows
welcome the return of Gary Brabin to Haig Avenue with Luton
Town followed by a crucial match on Tuesday night at Altrincham.
